A Systemic Approach to Violence and Bullying in Slovenian Schools: Methodological and Conceptual Challenges

• In Event: School Violence and Bullying: Research and Theory across Continents

Abstract

Violence and bullying in and concerning schools represent complex phenomena with profound impacts on the well-being of students, staff, and (school) communities. Despite their perceived prevalence, these issues often remain covert and do not receive adequate academic and professional attention.

This paper uses a synthesis of qualitative insights from focus groups involving students and teachers at different educational levels and geographical locations, as well as quantitative research instruments, to introduce a systemic approach to researching, understanding, and addressing school-based violence in primary schools across Slovenia. By doing so, it captures the multifaceted and nuanced dynamics of violence in schools, particularly:

(1.) The fluid and ever-changing forms of peer violence, including its visible (verbal abuse, physical aggression, cyberbullying) and invisible (psychological pressure, harassment targeting vulnerable groups, victimisation based on experienced structural harms) manifestations;
(2.) The roles played by perpetrators, victims, bystanders, and broader societal norms and responses shaping peer violence and bullying behaviours;
(3.) The multi-directional and contextual understanding of violence pathways, ranging from violence outside the school premises through school-based violence performed by children and teachers, and the role of parents and other adults in contact with the educational environment.

The paper presents the methodological and conceptual challenges of designing a comprehensive systemic approach to violence in schools, especially in enabling longitudinal monitoring and adapting school strategies to address these issues effectively. It concludes by conceptualising how incorporating feedback from stakeholders and considering age-specific and contextual factors, systemic approaches to school-based violence could foster tailored interventions that protect victims, support children in desisting from violence, and promote a sense of trust and safety within (school) communities.

Authors

• Eva Bertok, Institute of Criminology at the Faculty of Law Ljubljana, Slovenia

• Jasmina Arnež, Institute of Criminology, University of Ljubljana and Centre for Criminology, University of Oxford